<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>With Laughter and Fire in Their Eyes by LadyBrooke</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194267">With Laughter and Fire in Their Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke'>LadyBrooke</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arguments, Banter, Canon Typical Violence, Family Reunions, Gen, Sad Ending</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:34:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,034</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26194267</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyBrooke/pseuds/LadyBrooke</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Celegorm and Curufin visit their cousins the summer before the Dagor Bragollach.</p><p>None of them know doom waits for them as they laugh and argue under the trees.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Tolkien Reverse Summer Bang 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>With Laughter and Fire in Their Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/676552">Angrod and Aegnor meet Celegorm and Curufin in the forest of Dorthonion</a> by huanhoundofvalinor.
        </li>

    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please go look at the artwork that inspired this fic! It is amazing, and such an inspiring piece to get the chance to write for. I very much appreciate huanhoundofvalinor’s willingness to put up with my constantly changing ending to this fic, and my frantic ‘Should this be a happy end? Except it works better like this - no, like this maybe’.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Niphredil still grew along the edges of the road as Celegorm and Curufin passed. They did not carry their banners with them, though doubtless Doriath and its king would hear the news of the sons of Fëanor making their way to their cousins’ lands.</p><p>Still, while Celegorm did not fear a confrontation with the Sindar, he was gladdened when he saw Aegnor and Angrod ahead. </p><p>“Greetings, cousins!” He pushed his horse forward, aware of Curufin just behind him also racing to greet them, and of Huan behind them both. “Are you afraid that even here in your own lands, they will forget who is Lord?”</p><p>“Nay, merely afraid that you both may ride right past us if we did not carry them with us.” Angrod leapt off his own horse at the sight of them, Aegnor following only a moment later. “And you two, did Caranthir steal yours in revenge again, or Celebrimbor accidently use them as rags while working?”</p><p>Celegorm could feel Curufin’s relief at the sight, his younger brother slipping from his own horse towards the ground. It seemed they would not be going on a hunt first thing, though hopefully before the end of their visit he could convince them of such, even if Curufin would prefer the warmth of the fire and whatever lore their cousins had carried from Menegroth.</p><p>“Neither. Your great-uncle is still not pleased when we come too near his borders or his nephews, and Maedhros sent word that we should not agitate him again,” Celegorm said, sliding off his horse to join the others on the ground.</p><p>Curufin nodded besides him.</p><p>“That has as much to do with Galadriel’s dislike of most of you as Elu’s, to be fair to him - and Maedhros did not overly help matters himself.” Aegnor shrugged, evidently unconcerned with his great-uncle’s reaction to such visits. “Though, to be fair to Maedhros, you two did not have to spread stories of either that or the rest of you agreeing.”</p><p>“To be fair to us, you two could have changed the story so that Elu was being praised by those words.” Curufin spoke up for the first time in their meeting.</p><p>The other three turned to look at him.</p><p>“Why those looks? After all, all of the kingdoms in Valinor are held with the aid of the Valar, it is only fair to credit Elu with his share of the defense of these lands,” Curufin said.</p><p>The other three stared at him for a moment. Suspicion was written clear across their faces, even as Curufin continued to look as innocent as any elf had in the bliss of Valinor.</p><p>Finally his lips twitched. Angrod turned from the sight, shaking his head, even as Celegorm barked out laughter.</p><p>“You are awful, cousin, and I shall not ever believe you care for fairness to the Valar or Elu when it does not benefit you,” Aegnor said, laughing in spite of his words. “I shall not tell him of this conversation, either, in the hopes that we shall avoid any more bans or arguments or indeed, another letter from Maedhros or Fingolfin begging us to not cause problems that cannot be fixed.”</p><p>Celegorm almost protested that they could not really be receiving that many letters, and then an image drifted into his mind of Angrod’s desk, scattered on one side with missives from Fingolfin, tengwar growing thicker the more frustrated he was, and scattered on the other side with missives from Maedhros, begging them to not indulge themselves too much.</p><p>Curufin had doubtless seen the same, for he shook his head. “No wonder Maglor keeps complaining there is not enough paper for his compositions, Maedhros must be using his share and Maglor’s.”</p><p>“And so we must behave ourselves as much as possible, so that your brother does not appear on the edge of the forest to yell at us all that we have cost him even more paper.” Aegnor shook his head.</p><p>They all knew it was not an image that could actually occur here, but it had certainly occurred enough in Valinor to seem like something Maglor would like to do.</p><p>“Or invite himself for the winter to get out of cold lands, and steal all of our paper in revenge,” Celegorm said. “But enough of older brothers and kings, who can wait in fear if that is what they wish to do. Tell us, how are your lands?”</p><p>“As excellent as ever, and full of all we could wish for, and some we could not.” Angrod gestured towards the forest, before looking Huan in the eyes. “We have had an infestation of foxes this year, perhaps you would aid us into convincing them to stay away, my fine friend?”</p><p>Huan barked once, before leaping up to touch Angrod’s shoulders.</p><p>Angrod hugged him closer. “As always, you appear with better manners than either of them.”</p><p>Curufin tsked at the scene, but did not speak. Doubtless he did not want to step into an argument over Huan again, or indeed risk insult to either Huan or Celegorm.</p><p>“Huan simply pities the two of you,” Celegorm said. “Two Princes of the line of Finwë, defeated by a simple fox?”</p><p>“Many foxes,” Aegnor corrected. “And it is more that we do not wish to be cruel to them, but would like to occasionally not wake to them in the coops or the houses.”</p><p>“The hen houses?”</p><p>“Nay, our houses.”</p><p>Celegorm turned from where he had been pulling down their bags. “Your houses?”</p><p>“They were cute - and orphans - and well, it turns out that foxes will remember where they found their food the last time, and they don’t always listen to calm conversations.” Aegnor grabbed one of the bags, evidently considering the line of questioning closed with that. “We thought they may listen to Huan where they will not listen to us.”</p><p>“Lead the way,” Celegorm said instead of continuing to ask questions. He glanced at Curufin and was pleased to note he did not seem to wish to know more either about why their cousins had foxes in the house to begin with. It was not that Curufin’s curiosity was bad, but that Curufin’s curiosity had been the cause of countless arguments between himself and their cousins. After weeks on the road, Celegorm could admit he was looking forward to a warm bath and a chair that would be impossible to find if this became an argument. </p><p>Celegorm could only hope they would both be free of foxes, too. </p><p>The foxes did listen to Huan, even if Celegorm did find one staring in the window and another chattering away to Huan that evening. Huan himself refused to say more of why the foxes had been there, being just as silent on the subject as Aegnor and Angrod had. It did not seem threatening when Huan merely laughed at Celegorm’s questions, and the foxes as well claimed to have merely been there on business of their own.</p><p>The land itself was as beautiful as it had been on their prior visits, and the lords of the land were as gracious as they had been every time as well, foxes aside. The weeks passed in a haze of feasts and races through the woods that made up Aegnor and Angrod’s lands. If they ignored how it was Fingolfin and not Finwë checking on them a palantir which they had all already agreed to ignore the faint sensation of being watched by, it was almost possible to believe they were back in Valinor, ignoring the fights between their families and waiting for the others to appear from behind other trees and along the river from the forest.</p><p>Celegorm lined his bow up, preparing to show Aegnor just how to actually shoot the new mark on the tree with the new bows Celegorm had brought as gifts for his cousins. Before he actually could show Aegnor, Huan barked once.</p><p>“Is he alright?” Aegnor asked.</p><p>Celegorm looked at Huan, hoping he would not bark again.</p><p>Huan did, of course, bark again though no clearer than he had the first time.</p><p>“He does not like us being so far away from Angrod and Curufin, though he will not say why. Still, we may be better off going back - I am not sure I trust Curufin and Angrod to cook, when they have once more fallen into a debate about Sindarin linguistics or some other subject of no great importance to us at the moment, but sufficient to leave dinner undone.” Celegorm began to gather his things, only slightly sad to pack the bows away.</p><p>Aegnor only lasted a moment later before he began to gather his own. “Perhaps I should go check on the lake and see if things are well there.”</p><p>“If you wish to miss supper, you should,” Celegorm said. “I shall not hide your share away for you to find later, if Angrod and Curufin complain that they are still hungry.”</p><p>Aegnor’s eyes drifted back in the direction of the lake once more. Celegorm had the worst feeling that he had missed something, but instead Aegnor only shook his head and focused on retrieving their arrows, letting the tension drain from his shoulders. “You are right. Doubtless we will return only to find that the potatoes are still left unpeeled and the meat still raw.”</p><p>The meat and potatoes had been cooked when they arrived back.</p><p>They had, in fact, been cooked so much as to become charcoaled husks on the fire. Celegorm poked at them with a stick, hoping that they were only burnt on the outside and that the inside was still edible.</p><p>One enthusiastic poke later, a potato split in half to reveal an inside of ashes.</p><p>“I did not know they could do that,” Aegnor said, poking at his own chosen potato, which also split open to reveal ashes.</p><p>When Huan turned away from the sight of the meat, Celegorm decided to not even try cutting into it, and to assume that all of the potatoes were in fact equally as burnt.</p><p>“They can do such when Curufin gets distracted,” he said instead. “I suppose it is a good thing we have lembas, even if we still need to regain our brothers’ attention. Curufin, your dinner is ruined!”</p><p>“Dinner will be ready soon,” Curufin said. He had evidently only been paying the slightest attention to what was occurring.</p><p>“For once I would have preferred you to leave your chore undone. Supper has become ready, overdone, and a burnt husk, brother, while you and Angrod discussed…” Celegorm trailed off, unsure of what exactly they had been discussing in such detail.</p><p>“Growing food in a forest.” Angrod gestured towards the plans. “Curufin insists it is always less efficient than growing it on a plain, but I have shown him the layout of our fields and the account of our annual crops for the last five decades, and-”</p><p>“And I have told him that fifty years is a statistically insignificant number, and that I will only consider his point if he provides us with numbers that would satisfy Caranthir-”</p><p>“I have no interest in satisfying Caranthir’s need for a truly concerning amount of knowledge concerning all aspects of my lands, when Caranthir has no business here and will not so long as I am a lord of these lands-”</p><p>“I did not ask you to show Caranthir, I merely asked you to show me the numbers that would satisfy Caranthir-”</p><p>Celegorm decided the argument was pointless to follow and even more pointless to try to understand, and instead tossed the cooling potatoes at both of them.</p><p>When Curufin’s face and Angrod’s tunic were both covered in a satisfying amount of dust, Celegorm spoke again. “While I am truly glad to know you both have plans for your lives after we are all tossed from our lands in a fit of rage by uncle, that does not solve the problem of dinner.”</p><p>Curufin attempted to rub his face clean, but only succeeded in smearing it around his eyes. Angrod, meanwhile, simply pulled his tunic off and tossed it to the side.</p><p>“My apologies,” Angrod said. “I had not realized our debate had lasted quite so long a time.”</p><p>“We still have more lembas, at least.” Aegnor turned from where he had been disposing of the rest of their supper, Huan beside him looking more amused than anything else. “And we shall have breakfast in the morning, and doubtless you two will remember not to let dinner burn tomorrow night as well.”</p><p>“We shall remember.” Angrod turned back towards the table. “And lembas isn’t a bad meal. Remember how Grandmother would pack us a bag full of nothing but lembas, just in case we got distracted and forgot to actually make ourselves dinner while we were exploring, even though Atar would say that we were grown boys who could take care of our own needs?”</p><p>“And then we would always come back to Tirion with the bag repacked with everything but lembas, because we would forget in favor of collecting something or another from the wild.” Aegnor continued.</p><p>“And one time you two stumbled into our camp right as we were packing up to go to the next place, and Maedhros insisted we take you two with us, so that you would not eat nothing but lembas for the next month.” Curufin laughed. The argument between Angrod and he had clearly been forgotten, already discarded in favor of another, more interesting conversation.</p><p>Celegorm turned back to the bags, pulling out the lembas. “As though you were not even worse, brother. I remember when you not only filled our lembas bag with the rocks you had found, but you threw away our lembas before we had eaten it. We had no breakfast or supper that day.”</p><p>Curufin shrugged, unconcerned at the reminder. “They were interesting ones, useful in the experiments Atar and I were conducting at the time.”</p><p>“And yet, we could not eat them,” Celegorm said. He tore a piece of lembas off for each of them, tossing one to each of his cousins and his brother in turn, barely pausing before taking a bite out of his own. “You could try flavoring the lembas with a hint of whatever spices you had used on the potatoes, just so that Aegnor and I could have a clue as to what you were trying to make.”</p><p>The argument continued throughout dinner, until Curufin excused himself, this time with Aegnor, to go look through the library. Celegorm and Angrod could hear their laughter and Aegnor’s insistence that of course he knew where they were going, he had helped to organize the books himself.</p><p>“He’s going to find our crop records, I suppose,” Angrod said. “Good luck to him, they were ruined in a sudden flood a few years back.”</p><p>“A sudden flood?” Celegorm leaned back in the chair, stroking Huan’s fur. “In your records room, of all places?”</p><p>Angrod hummed in agreement. “We needed the space. And you know how Uncle is, insisting we keep records of everything as though we could possibly need such when really, so long as we can keep track of what Morgoth is doing, we need not concern ourselves with the rest.”</p><p>Celegorm laughed, almost turning the chair over as he threw his head back in amusement at the image. “I shall keep that in mind the next time we need an excuse to get rid of papers.”</p><p>“You missed your chance. We are now required to send our old records to Hithlum every ten years, and account for any missing ones.” Angrod picked up his own glass, taking a sip as well. “And Uncle is very particular about what he requests we send to him.”</p><p>“So you are why Maedhros shows up to check every few years. I had thought it was only an excuse to visit us, but he really does have Fingolfin’s backing in that case.”</p><p>Angrod nodded. “Finrod comes to collect ours sometimes, when he wishes an excuse to visit Hithlum and see the city. But yes, they have Fingolfin’s orders backing. I am surprised you were not sent word about such.”</p><p>“It is entirely possible we were, and Maedhros decided it was better to just come gather them himself instead of letting Curufin annotate them before sending. I don’t think even Uncle wants that much paperwork sent to him.” At Angrod’s look, Celegorm switched to farspeech, filtering images of the last round of paperwork Curufin had completed towards his cousin’s mind.</p><p>And the time before that, and the time before that, until it was abundantly clear that the only annotations consisted of precise explanations of how important or unimportant each was to the vital work of the smithy. In some cases, the papers were dotted with only single phrases or words, usually that they could be discarded. On others the words filled the margins of the page and onto the next. On the worst they occupied entirely new sheets of paper, hastily combined with the rest as Curufin elaborated on the exact amount of iron needed for the next year.</p><p>Angrod blinked. “Does he really think such are necessary? Not that I do not appreciate his dedication to his craft, but I am not sure anyone except he and Celebrimbor even understands what half of that means.”</p><p>“They keep everyone from questioning him about the smithy and what exactly he is doing, so yes. He finds them of vital importance.” Celegorm shook his head. “He is not used to explanations being demanded - it is not as though Grandfather ever wished such, and my brother does not appreciate his work being interrogated.”</p><p>“I suppose I should merely be grateful that neither your brother nor Fingolfin has demanded that level of records for the cultivation of plants.” Aegnor leaned back in the chair, relaxing into the cushions at the sudden relief of not being expected to write hundreds of pages regarding corn.</p><p>Celegorm raised his glass in agreement, before taking a sip. “This is good wine, cousin.”</p><p>“It comes from Doriath, only a few bottles a year reserved for our most important guests, and you two, of course.” Angrod smirked at the look on Celegorm’s face.</p><p>“Are we not important?” The wine had made them both lightheaded. Celegorm was not sure if he wished for a quarrel or not, but the thought was not completely at odds with his own wishes.</p><p>“Nay, you are our half-cousins, and therefore not guests.” Angrod laughed again. “Come now, cousin, let us not quarrel over such. I have had enough arguments with your brother to keep me content for the next several months.”</p><p>Celegorm nodded. “I have often heard such. Rarely do I grant such requests, but for you -”</p><p>“Thank you for taking pity on me, oh fairest of the sons of Feanor.” Angrod smiled then. “Tell me, have you not found yourself a wife yet? You had claimed in our youth you would marry long before Curufin or myself did.”</p><p>“You say you wish no quarrel, and then you begin a new one,” Celegorm said. But he laughed too at that, and merely began to detail what he had done since he had last seen their cousins. If the conversation was scattered with arguments, that was merely the way of the Princes of the Noldor when meeting, and both found it a welcome relief to at least only be arguing about less important matters.</p><p>If the true arguments were eventually forgotten, the banter was not, and indeed kept on throughout the week following that conversation, until Celegorm and Curufin were at last forced by the changing of the winds and the cooling of the weather to begin their journey back to their own lands. Autumn had come, and the leaves had become to change, dotting the forest floor in reds and golds as the four cousins and Huan made their way back to the clearing where they had first met.</p><p>They stayed in the clearing past midday, neither group of brothers ready to end their discussions and visit so early, but also aware that their responsibilities would not allow them to stay frozen there forever.</p><p>Finally, Aegnor looked to where the sun had once more begun its downwards journey and sighed. “I suppose we must bid you goodbye here, until whenever the next visit comes. The summer after next, perhaps?”</p><p>“Nay and nay.” Celegorm laughed, high and free as the wind that had picked up, tossing small flowers and leaves through the air around them. “I shall not say goodbye! I expect the two of you to come to our lands as soon as the year is over, and we shall treat you to all the delicacies Princes of the Noldor are used to, and I shall ensure that the rest of our brothers keep their noses out of our business. It has been too long since we feasted with one another, and I do not think we should let such time pass us by once more.”</p><p>“I do not believe such possible, but we shall come,” Angrod said. He grinned at the thought. “After all, our eldest brother is good friends with both of yours, and while Maglor could probably be convinced to ignore our visit or bribed with sufficient instruments and paper to at least be too distracted to care, Finrod is liable to wish to join in the festivities and Maedhros is likely to wish to set a watch on us.”</p><p>Curufin shrugged. “Then we shall simply have to arrange a visit by Fingon and Maglor to Himring. Maedhros will be too distracted to join us if he has his own guests.”</p><p>Aegnor smiled then, smaller than the others. “Aye, but can you two keep a secret that long?”</p><p>“I will not only keep such a secret, I shall arrange the entire plot myself, including the part where Finrod will be joining them,” Curufin said.</p><p>“Then we shall not second guess you anymore, but simply look forward to our visit.” Angrod once more turned to look over his shoulder, into the deep woods before them, where sunlight never seemed to touch the floor. “But for now, we shall let you leave before it is too dark. Keep an eye out for the wolves. Finrod farspoke me last evening. He says they have worsened in recent months, and Orodreth sends word that they sometimes seem to be stalking elves.”</p><p>Celegorm hummed in consideration. Certainly, Orodreth alone could have been mistaken, but Finrod had been on hunts with them before, and with Maglor and Maedhros. Even if they were ordinary wolves, that was worrisome. A quick glance at Huan gave even more reason to believe it worrisome, when he sat up and looked at Aegnor and Angrod gravely, considering their words himself.</p><p>“We will watch for them. If we meet any in your lands, we shall send word ourselves, if Huan does not scare them away, at least.”</p><p>“Do you think they are Morgoth’s servants?” Aegnor’s eyes glinted as he spoke.</p><p>“If they are, they are not doing a good job of such, if they have not yet killed any elf.” Curufin turned to look at the woods himself. “But let us not speak of such now - I have heard your words repeatedly on this subject, and I do not think Uncle was right to push for battle against Morgoth. Morgoth has learned his lesson, and he shall stay in his keep.”</p><p>Angrod shook his head at the renewed argument. “Let us not quarrel on such when you are leaving. Until our next meeting, cousins! May your ride be swift and your passage safe, and your lands plentiful so that we may meet again in the spring.”</p><p>Celegorm laughed. “Our lands are always plentiful, and our steeds sure. May winter not touch your lands so deeply that you cannot dig a path free to ours swiftly, and may the spring winds come swiftly. Until we meet again!”</p><p>With that, Celegorm turned his horse, Curufin’s following. Huan began to pace next to him, as they rode away from their cousins. When they had reached the edge of the clearing, beyond which sight was cloaked by thick woods, they turned once.</p><p>Aegnor and Angrod still stood in the same spot, banner waving lightly in the wind. Though they could not hear what their cousins had said, they appeared to be laughing.</p><p>At last, they turned once more to the forest and pressed forward, Aegnor and Angrod disappearing from sight.</p><p>Spring never came again to Beleriand while Aegnor and Angrod ruled their lands. That winter, the battle came over the hills and through the trees too suddenly for any word to be sent between the cousins.</p><p>Celegorm and Curufin had barely managed to flee themselves from the destruction of their own lands, heavy smoke and fire blocking their sight as they fled blindly from dragons and orcs, cursing the chaos that kept any other communication from being possible. Doubtless messages had been sent to some of the others, or from Himring to Hithlum via the palantir, but there was no space or time here to use their own. They had resigned themselves to simply fighting their way forward until they had reached safety.</p><p>The sky still shone eerily with the remnants of fire when a messenger arrived from Finrod’s people to the camp they had established, halfway to whatever escape they could make.</p><p>Celegorm tore the letter open with little care, ignoring both the ash stains on the letter itself and how the paper ripped at its actions.</p><p>“Well?” Curufin said after Celegorm had stared at the paper for the moment. “Were our cousins injured in the battle?”</p><p>“Finrod reports he was nearly killed, but rescued by some of his mortal friends.” Celegorm looked up at Curufin, who took a step backwards at the look in his brother’s eyes. Celegorm had looked like that before, but on the rarest of occasions. The last had been Maedhros’ capture, when Maglor and Celegorm had rode off to check when their brother had not returned, and had found the remains of their eldest brother’s guard and Maedhros himself captured. “He tells us that if we need shelter now, we may seek his city for the sake of our friendship with his brothers.”</p><p>“That is kind of him, but unnecessary. We could just as well seek shelter with his brothers, even if Elu is unlikely to be pleased with his nephews, or with the King if all of our brothers are unable to aid us.” Curufin shifted uneasily as he spoke. There was something odd about Finrod specifying that his lands were available for their use, and that they could seek all the way to Nargothrond if they needed to.</p><p>“Uncle is dead.” Celegorm was oddly still and calm at that. That had not been what had so enraged Celegorm, though he seemed to still be working his way to stating whatever had done so. “He charged Morgoth’s gates by himself out of grief and anger. He wounded Morgoth thrice, though he was slain himself. Fingon is King now, and Turgon his heir.”</p><p>Curufin did not speak. He thought perhaps that he knew what his brother was slowly winding his way towards saying, but the thought of such was too terrible.</p><p>There was silence in the tent for several moments. Then Celegorm collapsed backwards onto the pile of soot stained blankets, as though nothing remained to hold him up except for grief and despair. He rested his head in his hands for a moment, before he slowly raised it again and spoke.</p><p>“Aegnor and Angrod are dead,” Celegorm said. “Those lands they were granted were their deaths. They were slain by fire even before Finrod had a chance to leave his lands with his soldiers, and their lands are mostly husks now, including those forest gardens you and Angrod argued so vehemently about.”</p><p>Curufin sat down slowly on the blankets next to Celegorm. There was a chill in the air, and yet both of them were still unwilling to light a fire. Instead Curufin shifted closer to Celegorm, wishing that Huan and Celebrimbor were both with them instead of already asleep.</p><p>“They say Aegnor always fought with a fire in his eyes,” Curufin said after a moment. “He and Angrod were always willing to fight, whether it be Morgoth or Caranthir.”</p><p>“Aye, brother, he did, as though he belonged as one of us.” Celegorm turned to look at him. “They were always willing to fight.”</p><p>The tent fell silent again for some moments, as they both contemplated what had happened.</p><p>Finally, Celegorm spoke, words clearly an oath from his tone even though he did not phrase it so. “Never again shall I turn from a battle, so that later they may say that the Sons of Fëanor shied from a battle and our friends died due to it.”</p><p>Curufin should have protested this latest oath, but he merely nodded along. It was perhaps too late to help, when all of their closest cousins were dead or presumed so, but perhaps that too meant it was too late to harm them. Perhaps it did not matter at all, and they were all doomed regardless. “For as long as we may, brother, never again shall we shy from one. And if we meet them again, at least none shall be able to say we did not fight as often as we could have, or that we did not learn our lesson for taking any enemy as less than a threat.”</p><p>Outside the tent they could hear mourning songs begin again, this time of their own losses in battle. Soon one of them would have to spread the word of Fingolfin’s death and the loss of Aegnor and Angrod. Soon too they would need to collect Celebrimbor and Huan, and decide where they would make their way to, which family member would have sufficient room for them, and which they could stand to be around.</p><p>But for now they sat together in the same tent, as the sky continued to glow from the fires that had been burned.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Me, writing the fic: This is a humorous scene about Curufin and Angrod being distracted and burning dinner. </p><p>Me, rereading the fic afterwards: This is a scene about Curufin and <i>Angrod</i> being distracted and <i>burning</i> dinner.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>